While Lloyd was getting ready for his concert, I had a couple of hours to kill in Beatrice. It’s a little town – about twice the size of Seward, I’d say. They had a Wal-Mart, a couple of farm stores, a strange little mall with a few stores, and a Pamida.
I know. Pamida!
If you’re at all familiar with Nebraska, Pamida predates Wal-Mart, kind of on par with a K-Mart, only really, really little. The owner of the tiny chain named it after his sons: Paul, Michael and David. (Much like the Beatles were going to be Jopagero.) We used to have one here in Seward, and it was fantastic to go visit in college.
I was almost hyperventilating approaching the Beatrice store… until I walked in the doors. I saw the first sales placard and immediately remembered that right before our Seward store tanked, Pamida had been bought out by ShopKo. Now they are like ShopKo’s seedy little brother – cheap and smarmy. It was not the best experience.
I did, however, make a great score. They had this cheap-o speaker for the iPod shuffle on clearance for 10 bucks, and when I checked out – it was only 7! Woo-hoo! It will probably break in a month, but I’ll use it to death until then. (I like that it has an internal battery that you charge by hooking it up to the computer.) How good do they sound? Exactly 7 dollars good.
There, aren’t you glad you read this?
Brad says
It looks like something from the early Star Trek movies, all sleek and white. Do the speakers fold under, so the whole thing just looks like a bar of soap?
Lauren says
Yes, the speakers twist under, and it’s very bar-of-soap looking. It also has a strap so I can hang it from my neck like a medal I won defeating the Imperial Empire, but I don’t know if it’s acceptable to wear it in ‘X’ mode or not.
Peggy says
Your comment sent my mind to a soap I had as a kid. Fuzzy Wuzzy Bear Soap. It was shaped like a bear & when you wet it, it got fuzzy…AND…inside was a toy!
(6 degrees of the ADD mind: Star Trek, the past, soap, cool unique soap, soap from my cool unique past, FUZZY WUZZY SOAP!--mind you these thoughts transpire in a milo-second)
Lauren says
Off topic: Hey, everybody remind us to turn those forms in at work so we don’t forget.
Curt says
Hey, don’t forget to turn in those forms in at work.
Mark says
Hope you remembered to turn in those forms at work!!
Lauren says
*gasp* The forms!!!
Just kidding. Turns out it was a bust. I was going to get onto Lloyd’s school’s insurance, but CHP says that if you work for a Lutheran institution, that Lutheran institution should pay for your insurance. Oh, well -- we tried.
Deanne says
I remember Pamida; they had (have?) one in Columbus. Sorry it’s not as good as it was…